How to find a tractor driver for sowing, harvest or all year
The machines the driver will work on
The first thing a good tractor driver asks is what he will work on. A modern tractor with a comfortable cab, GPS guidance and auto-steer is one job, and an old tractor is quite another. The jobs differ too: ploughing, cultivating, sowing, spraying, harvesting, hauling grain or produce.
So in the post name the make and class of the machine, for example a 50 HP tractor or a 90 HP one. Experienced operators value working on newer machines, and also knowing who looks after them.
How to search on BlaBlaPrice
You write one job request in your own words, and candidates reply in the chat about experience on specific machines, joining date and the pay they expect. Before it is shown, the request is checked: no ads or contacts in the text, with hints on what is missing.
Your number is hidden, and only the chosen candidate gets it. The job request stays active for 7 days and can be extended. For an employer it is free. More: “How it works”.
What to put in the job post
- Machines — makes and models of tractors, attached implements;
- Types of work — ploughing, sowing, spraying, harvesting, transport;
- Pay — per hour, per shift, per acre, monthly;
- Place and hours — district or region, six days a week in season;
- Type of employment — for sowing, for harvest or permanent;
- Licence — a valid driving licence that covers tractors;
- Experience — including on newer machines.
Example: “We need a tractor driver for the sowing season near Gqeberha. 50 HP tractor, ploughing and sowing. Six days a week in season, pay R 180 per shift, accommodation provided. Valid driving licence and experience with a rotary tiller and seed drill required.”
How to compare candidates
Ask what machines he worked on and with which implements, and whether he can adjust a plough or a seed drill. An advanced operator talks about depth of tilling, speed and fuel use, not just that he “drove”.
Talk about safety and responsibility for the machine: who pays for breakdowns and for broken rules. Clarify whether fuel and food are included in the pay, and where the worker lives during the season. Check the licence yourself, because without it he cannot be allowed on the machine.
Think about maintenance too: does the driver do the daily check, or does a separate mechanic do it? Also say how refuelling in the field is organised, because it affects downtime and so the pay, when it depends on output.
For those looking for a job
If you are a tractor driver or machine operator, register on BlaBlaPrice as a service provider, choose this category and your region, and reply to job requests, including seasonal ones. Nearby are agronomist and sawmill operator.
